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Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up.
James Baldwin
Ever dutiful daughter, Khushi rises to do her Mother's bidding , She obediently goes to the phone to inform the Raizada's that she will not be working any more ..Right from the time she approaches the phone, her thoughts, her concern revolves around only one person, the one who owns her body & Soul ..Her primary concern is that HE must not answer the phone !! suiting the thoughts to action, she calls up Anjali, informs her of her decision .. The Raizada's summon Khushi for a final farewell and began to plan on giving her a fitting farewell and a gift ..
What is the opposite of two? A lonely me, a lonely you. ~Richard Wilbur
Workaholic Arnav is passing by when he overhears that Khushi will not be coming from the current day..There is a shocked awareness in his eyes, a sense of loss begins to creep in only to be replaced by a pulsating rage when he hears his family expressing gratitude for getting Arnav to the Altar..This memory stirs in him furious anger he welcomes this blind rage, cloaks it around his raw feelings ..Arnav withdraws to bedroom to continue his work still drawing on the mantle of anger, his nimble fingers fairly fly over the key's , his mind racing in exactly opposite direction, bethinking the same scenario again and again..A scenario where in he realized that he has lost his control, A scenario wherein he realized that A young, innocent girl virtually rules him, A scenario where he very cowardly was pushing her away.. His eyes close all by themselves when he hears himself saying again that she does not mean anything to him..A statement which he knows is a utter lie for she means everything to him !! desperate to flee from the memories , He walks out of the room , little realizing the memories are imprisoned within him, he can run but can never hide nor escape from them ..ASR walks out to be met with more barrage of Khushi this Khushi that..Her name effectuating an intense agony, ASR applies the only balm he knows ..His acidic tongue..He lashes out at his family who are so openly affectionate about a girl who has managed to turn his world upside down, turn his orderly way of life into a tumult ..he mocks Khushi, humiliates her need for money ..having done his bit, he turns to walk away only to be brought up short ..for his eyes has managed to catch sight of the girl who matters to him more than his wealth, more than his status ..he stands shocked that Khushi has heard everything whilst Khushi who had come on Nani's invitation has her eyes only for..The room is full of people but her eyes are drawn like magnet to his ..There they stand locked into one another while eons passes by ..Hurt beyond words..She turns to go back the way she came only to be stopped by nani who reminds Khushi that She was invited by Nani ..Khushi looks askance at Arnav who does not respond , Khushi stays put not taking a step...Anjali steps forward , invites her again followed by La who cracks a joke which elicits a smile on a downcast face of Khushi,Arnav gives slight sigh of relief on seeing her smiling countenance , walks away only after making sure that Khushi walks in .. Pauses midway, takes his fill of her, exits from the Women's club..
Ever absent, ever near;
Still I see thee, still I hear;
Yet I cannot reach thee, dear!
~Francis Kazinczy
Still I see thee, still I hear;
Yet I cannot reach thee, dear!
~Francis Kazinczy
The women are giving their tokens of appreciation when there is a sound of splintering and crashing followed by an angry yell of Arnav..A stupendously wrathful ASR has broken a glass and ticked off the servant ..The sorely puzzled women are quickly diverted by the arrival of astrologer, After Promising to join them.. A concerned and caring Khushi looks in the direction of Arnav's room, as if drawn inexorably by her love, Arnav comes out steals a glance at Khushi ..He quickly avaerts his gaze when he notices her looking at him..Arnav again dashes back into his safe zone, his bedroom ..
Gone - flitted away,
Taken the stars from the night and the sun
From the day!
Gone, and a cloud in my heart.
~Alfred Tennyson
Taken the stars from the night and the sun
From the day!
Gone, and a cloud in my heart.
~Alfred Tennyson
Arnav is preoccupied with his files when he senses the presence of the girl who has managed to disturb the even tenor of his days , Slowly reluctantly , unwillingly he turns to encounter his fate embodied in this woman, he looks at her defiantly as if a man who has taken a draw of cards is doomed to perish in the fires of love anyways ..Both look at each other... Silence on the acoustic while their eyes speaks volumes ..Arnav it is who first breaks this contact , verbally orders her to leave.. A caring Khushi moves towards him partly to alleviate his suffering and partly to hand him back the key only to be told that he did not want to see her face nor did he want to talk to her ...A calm Khushi retorts that she did not come to chat with him either...Stung by her dismissal , Arnav whose anger was always lurking below the surface erupts like Mt.Vesuvius ..Grabs her by the shoulders tightly, grits out that he wants her out ..yet holds on to ehr so tightly that she cannot go out even if she wants to .. Arnav searches her eyes .seeking to see fear, pain, hurt, anguish, a plea to leaver her alone ...but he finds none of this ..instead he is met by resolute determination, a calmness, a strength and total lack of fear..Arnav is the first to lose this battle of wills, he weakens in front of that direct glare ..frustrated he lets go and walks away ..waiting for her to rip into him but Khushi will not stoop to the same level as Arnav, She will not give him the pleasure nor the consolation of fight..She retreats quietly with dignity..her silence wounding him more than words, her withdrawal crushing him like no other action of hers can ..Khushi walks away leaving Arnav desolate and forlorn .
She went her unremembering way,
She went and left in me
The pang of all the partings gone,
And partings yet to be.
~Francis Thompson
She went and left in me
The pang of all the partings gone,
And partings yet to be.
~Francis Thompson
Khushi rushes down, is met with the Raizada women.. Khushi takes her leave from the ladies , bids adieu for one last time ..She is escorted by Lavanya ...Khushi's departure is watched in mute shock, disbelief, despair by Arnav .. His heart crying out to her , yearning to hold her back ..Arnav wistfully continues to look at his beloved , observes bleakly as his happiness bids her last farewell to him !!
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